1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to boat motors, and in particular to `stern drive` motors.
2. Description of the Related Art
The stern drive motor is known to have a stern drive unit which extends outwardly from the transom of the boat. The stern drive is anchored to the transom and has an articulated joint permitting the stern drive to steer the boat and trim or `trail` the stern drive (that is remove the stern drive from the water). The articulating movement requires a number of joints which are housed within a bellows.
It is important that the bellows be water tight for a number of reasons, namely to prevent water entry into the hull and to protect the joints from damage. Proper maintenance of the motor requires regular removal of the stern drive from the transom assembly.
However, there is no tool currently available to test the bellows for leakage. Instead, it is accepted practise to replace the stern drive, lower the boat into the water and look through at the inside rear of the boat for water leakage. Therefore, if any water leakage is found, the boat must be removed from the water and the stern drive removed from the transom assembly to repair the bellows. This process becomes especially difficult and expensive when repairing the stern drive on the back of a house boat or other large water craft.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a tool for checking the bellows for water leakage.